Headteachers have been told to consider combining class groups to ensure pupils remain in the classroom during periods of high teacher absence due to Covid.
The Department for Education has also told schools that, where there is a need for remote education, live streaming lessons is the “preferred method”.
The government has sent schools an email today following a major announcement overnight of new measures to mitigate the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid as pupils return.
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Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has also written to schools urging them to maximise on-site education, but acknowledging that staff absence might make this impossible.
The DfE’s email to schools recognises that high rates of Covid “may cause difficulties with the availability of staff”.
It suggests schools use existing teaching staff alongside temporary or support staff “more flexibly” to ensure pupils continue face-to-face education.
It adds: “As pupils do not need to be kept in consistent groups, you may wish to consider combining classes.”
Live streaming ‘preferred’
The DfE adds: “Where there is a need for remote education, live streaming is the preferred method for providing this wherever possible. There should be regular feedback and checking in with students and pupils.”
It also said that the government is working with school leaders to share case studies about developing flexible learning.
To date, only one case study has been published by the department.
This case study includes a series of tips for schools on delivering hybrid learning where some pupils are learning remotely and others are at school.
It concludes: “Isolation or an inability to attend school should not preclude a pupil or student from being part of their normal timetabled lessons, except perhaps PE and the practical element of some subjects.
“It is not simple, but neither is it particularly difficult and need not come at the expense of those in school.”
The advice includes the following:
Retrain teachers in remote learning
The guide says some retraining will be required to help teachers “understand the limitations and considerations around capturing their voice with sufficient clarity and volume” and on the most effective ways of using screen sharing to deliver their explanations.
Test remote lessons with other teachers
The guide also says that ensuring schools understand the pupils’ experience of remote learning “can easily be done by delivering a test lesson to colleagues in the next-door classroom”.
It adds: “Taking on the roles of a teacher and a remote pupil is important so that the teacher can understand the limitations and possibilities of the tools they are using, and departments and schools can work collaboratively on how to make the experience as beneficial as possible without adversely affecting the classroom experience.”
Be consistent across departments
The case study says there is a need for consistency across all departments and staff where possible.
It adds: “Pupils understand that it is not easy but get very frustrated when some staff can do it and others do not seem to try. If there is a consistent approach the pupils know when they should be able to ask questions or seek support, reducing interruptions to the class teacher and improving lesson flow.”
Recording lessons
The case study also says that recording lessons enables the teacher to make these available to pupils who were unable to connect.
Teachers can also focus on key concepts by cropping a copy of the recording down to the salient points to share with the whole class.
It adds: “This enables those who did not fully understand in class to revisit it, as well as a resource for revision in the future. It can also be used as evidence should there be any behavioural issues from remote pupils.”
